Search Results (764)

The green economy has become an economic necessity and a cultural discourse due to the rapid global movement towards sustainability. This paper discusses the representation of green economy in Qatar and Malaysia, two countries with different political and cultural background but similar ambitions to attain sustainable development on social media. Through the application of qualitative techniques, namely thematic analysis and critical discourse analysis, the re-search analyzed Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn posts discussing sustainability, renewable energy, and green innovation by using hashtags and stories on the topic. The results indicate that four major themes exist in both settings, and they are sustainability as national pride and identity, corporate–government branding of green efforts, grassroot and citizen involvement, and conflicts around contradictions and skepticism. Green economy in Qatar is constructed as a symbol of prestige and international presence, which is directly connected to the Qatar National Vision 2030, and popularized at the state and corporate levels. Big projects, financial solutions like green bonds, and sustainable infrastructure are mentioned in narratives and criticism is afforded little space. The environmental sustainability is part of cultural representation and collective accountability, grassroots mobilization, youth activism, and defiance of official and corporate language in Malaysia. A dynamic and critical digital discourse is often criticized by the citizens when they face perceived greenwashing. The research adds to the theoretical knowledge of understanding of framing theory that civic space plays a role in the development of sustainability discourses and the importance of critical discourse analysis in studying power relations in environmental discourse. In practice, the study recommends that Qatar should engage its citizens in more than just symbolic branding; Malaysia should enhance transparency and consistency of its policies to curb the skepticism of its people. In general, the paper highlights the fact that social media is not simply a medium of communication but rather a controversial field on which the definitions of sustainability are actively discussed. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is generating a profound and quick transformation in several areas of knowledge, as well as in industry and society on a global scale, and is considered one of the most significant technological advances of the present era. Understanding citizens’ attitudes toward AI is essential forguiding its development and implementation. To achieve this, valid and reliable instruments are needed to assess attitudesin different sociocultural contexts. With this objective, the General Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS) was adapted to Spanish. The sample comprised 644 participants: 327 men and 316 women, aged between 18 and 78 years (M = 33.06, SD = 14.91). The original two-factor structure (Positive GAAIS and Negative GAAIS) was validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Both the fit indices and the internal consistency of the scale were adequate. Furthermore, the validity of the measure (i.e., convergent and discriminant) and the invariance of the model were confirmed. The analyses performed support the adequacy of the model and, therefore, the usefulness of the instrument, considering the ambivalence that people often experience regarding AI. The limitations of the study and the implications for the design of public policies and intervention strategies that promote the ethical, equitable, and socially responsible use of AI are discussed in this study. Full article

As global urbanization accelerates, cities increasingly shape economic growth and environmental outcomes, making sustainable urban and transport planning critical. Sustainable city branding (SCB) is emerging as a strategic tool that not only enhances a city’s global competitiveness but actively drives urban sustainability by integrating environmental, social, and economic dimensions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the direct link between SCB and transport planning remains largely unexplored, limiting actionable policy. This study introduces a novel conceptual framework connecting SCB with transport planning, positioning public transportation as a key lever for sustainable urban development. It identifies core interactions between city branding and sustainable mobility, proposes methodologies to evaluate SCB effectiveness, and addresses potential risks, challenges, and research gaps. A policy roadmap for decision-makers based on the framework is outlined. This roadmap is structured into three phases spanning a five-year program. In Phase 1, cities should lay the foundation by integrating SCB into municipal transport and sustainability plans and establishing measurable indicators aligned with the SDGs. Phase 2 focuses on engagement and experimentation, encouraging the creation of participatory branding platforms and the implementation of pilot projects, such as green mobility corridors or climate-resilient transit hubs. Finally, Phase 3 emphasizes monitoring and scaling, utilizing digital technologies for real-time tracking, evaluating pilot outcomes, and expanding successful initiatives based on key performance indicators, including ridership growth, carbon reduction, and citizen engagement. By linking SCB explicitly to transport planning and providing a concrete roadmap, this study offers a unique contribution to both urban sustainability research and practical policy-making, enabling cities to simultaneously strengthen their brand, enhance mobility, and achieve measurable sustainability outcomes. Full article

Globally, little is known about the dispersal of microplastics (MP) and anthropogenic particles (AP) via atmospheric deposition (AD) into water bodies. Correlating AD to the large number of MP in estuaries is challenging but an important first step toward reducing this form of pollution. A previously published model of the surface waters of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL, east central coast of Florida, USA) estimated it contained 1.4 trillion microplastics. To determine if AD could produce this much plastic deposition, we deployed passive AD collectors throughout a 145 km² area at three site types with assistance from citizen scientists. We predicted that the rate of deposition of MP and AP would be greatest in residential areas, intermediate within a national park, and lowest on intertidal oyster reefs. Moreover, we predicted Florida’s wet season and individual rain events would increase deposition based on the published literature. Over 14 months, deposition averaged 1224 MP/m²/d; extrapolated, this yields 1.1 trillion MP for the lagoon-wide total deposition estimate (95% CI: 0.86–1.39 trillion MP). This value suggests that AD may represent an important pathway for MP to enter this estuary. More MP were deposited during rain events and in the wet season, with no differences among sites. Overall, our results provide important data for understanding AD of MP and AP in estuaries. Full article

Monetary policy and central banks faced significant challenges in recent decades, like the Great Recession and the 2008–2009 financial crisis, and the Global Inflation Surge of 2021–2022. The introduction of blockchain technology triggered major financial innovations. Nevertheless, the adoption of digital currencies and stablecoins in particular has been limited and does not have wide and everyday use, like national currencies. To understand non-national currency usage better, we examine free banking in Scotland and the U.S., and specifically note issuance. Lessons from these periods suggest the importance of reserves and coordination mechanisms. Based on these free banking cases, we propose that banks and corporations should have the freedom to issue their own stablecoins. More specifically, we examine the freedom for regulated banks to issue their own stablecoins in a competitive environment, learning from historical precedents how to manage such a system. Free banking stablecoins could provide significant benefits, especially in countries with unstable monetary systems, like emerging economies. Such benefits can range from better monetary policy, inflation targeting, and stability, to a broader range of innovative financial markets and services that can contribute towards entrepreneurship, investments, and economic development. Citizens, entrepreneurs, and domestic and foreign investors can gain from these benefits. At the same time, the banking sector and financial institutions can maintain an important role and further expand and develop by offering innovative financial services in an evolving and challenging environment due to financial technology and disintermediation. Finally, governments and central banks could also benefit from increased financial inclusion, higher economic growth and development, but also from more competition and financial stability, and from financial innovation and technology services. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the reliability of global supply chains, the availability of selected products including food, food prices, food purchase and consumption behaviour. The aim of this study is to identify potential differences in food waste levels and behaviours in Germany during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic periods. The data are based on two highly representative household diary studies on food waste with sample sizes of over 6500 participants each. This study uses descriptive statistics as well as a mixed model approach to examine food waste amounts per product group, disposal reason and life cycle category and compare the survey year 2020 with the years 2016/17. A linear mixed model is applied to examine the effects of the pandemic and lockdown phases on the development of food waste amounts in 2020. The results show that total and unavoidable food waste increased significantly in the 2020 pandemic period compared to the same period in the 2016/17 survey, while avoidable food waste decreased. This suggests an improvement of food management skills while, at the same time, food consumption, and therefore also food waste, shifted from outside to inside the home. Also, the composition of product groups was affected by altered consumption patterns during the pandemic. The results are relevant to the post-pandemic period, as they raise the question of whether a deceleration in everyday life is a prerequisite for adopting more sustainable food behaviours and developing appropriate planning, storage and handling. Policies should therefore focus on encouraging citizens to engage with the issue, prioritise it and develop an interest in food management. Future research should focus on the ways in which behaviours that reduce food waste can be encouraged, as well as on the long-term effects of food supply chain disruptions and events altering everyday life in households in relation to food waste. Full article

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its global network for age-friendly cities (AFC) movement in 2010, the number of participating cities and towns, as well as the body of literature focusing on this initiative has grown steadily. Nevertheless, few studies have directly examined how older adult volunteers are involved in AFC planning and initiatives for their municipalities. This study explores the experience of citizen volunteers, mostly older adults, engaging in local municipal-level age-friendly (AF) advisory committees as a part of the Age-Friendly Niagara (AFN) movement in Ontario, Canada. Since its conception as a grassroots movement in 2013, the AFN Network (AFNN) has expanded across the entire region, as each municipal government has appointed its local AF advisory committee or an equivalent, which consists of citizen volunteers, at least one councilor and one municipal staff member. Employing a qualitative multisite case study approach, we conducted focus groups with eight municipal AF advisory committees (or their equivalent) (n = 48, average age 69) to explore their roles, achievements and challenges. Our findings highlight the crucial role older adult volunteers play in their local AFC initiatives as they strive to co-produce and co-create sustainable age-friendly communities in collaboration with their municipal government. Full article

Invasive alien species (IASs) pose escalating threats to global ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. Public participation in IAS monitoring is often limited by taxonomic expertise gaps. To address this, we established a multi-taxa image dataset covering 54 key IAS in China, benchmarked nine deep learning models, and quantified impacts of varying scenarios and target scales. EfficientNetV2 achieved superior accuracy, with F1-scores of 83.66% (original dataset) and 93.32% (hybrid dataset). Recognition accuracy peaked when targets occupied 60% of the frame against simple backgrounds. Leveraging these findings, we developed EyeInvaS, an AI-powered system integrating image acquisition, recognition, geotagging, and data sharing to democratize IAS surveillance. Crucially, in a large-scale public deployment in Huai’an, China, 1683 user submissions via EyeInvaS enabled mapping of Solidago canadensis, revealing strong associations with riverbanks and roads. Our results validate the feasibility of deep learning in empowering citizens in IAS surveillance and biodiversity governance. Full article

Anopheles stephensi is an invasive and deadly malaria vector with the ability to use artificial containers as larval habitats. This ability is unique for malaria vectors in Africa and requires distinct surveillance strategies for early detection and rapid response. In this study, we trained a variety of artificial intelligence (AI) image recognition algorithms, using thousands of smartphone photos of laboratory-authenticated An. stephensi and seven endemic mosquito species, to develop a citizen science-friendly tool for An. stephensi detection. In Antananarivo, Madagascar, citizen science observations of >132 Anopheles spp. larvae from multiple artificial containers—including one closeup photo of a larva, from a tire—were submitted via NASA’s GLOBE Observer app in March 2020 and discovered years later. Given that genetic testing was no longer possible, this photo was used as a proof-of-concept to determine whether the AI species identification could be used on citizen science-generated images. The tire larva was classified as An. stephensi by all 11 species models, which yielded high accuracy and confidence (up to 99.34%) and included a false positive rate of <1%. Furthermore, explainable AI (XAI) heat maps led to the discovery of dark spots in abdominal segment VI corresponding to testes, corroborating a separate classification of the tire larva as male by the sex model. All available evidence suggests that AI image identification would have flagged this larva as a suspect An. stephensi, which could have been submitted to a molecular laboratory for further confirmation. Results demonstrate the power of integrating citizen science and AI—for which we provide free online tools—as a low-cost signal for malaria programs to confirm and respond to, and as complementary surveillance to fill the critical knowledge gaps in the distribution of invasive An. stephensi across Africa and beyond. Full article

The 2030 Bilingual Policy was introduced in Taiwan to strengthen citizens’ English communication skills, especially among young people, and to enhance their global competitiveness. Within Taiwan’s educational context, several challenges have emerged. In response, researchers have examined the key factors contributing to effective bilingual education, including policy implementation, bilingual instruction models, teacher professional development, and the availability of teaching resources. Despite their important role in bilingual instruction, bilingual professional learning community (BPLC) remains an underexplored topic of discussion. In particular, how BPLC can support subject teachers with limited English proficiency, a common phenomenon in Taiwan, is a question that needs further investigation. Thus, this study aims to implement a sustained BPLC to examine its functional role and influence on bilingual instructional transformation among teachers with limited English proficiency. The study draws on classroom observation notes, BPLC discussions, and interview data collected from fall 2024 to summer 2025. The findings show that regular classroom observations and bilingual professional conversation meetings benefit teachers across various areas, including classroom management, lesson planning, and language development. The BPLC provides real-time feedback and long-term developmental guidance, thereby facilitating more effective bilingual instruction. To conclude, this study contributes to the understanding of the dynamic relationship between bilingual instruction and BPLC. It also offers insights into how BPLC can support teachers with limited English proficiency in various ways. Full article

The rise of social media platforms has fundamentally reshaped the global information ecosystem, fostering the spread of disinformation. Beyond the circulation of false content, this article frames disinformation as an aesthetic crisis of public communication: an algorithmic reorganization of sensory experience that privileges performative virality over shared intelligibility, fragmenting public discourse and undermining democratic deliberation. Drawing on John Dewey’s philosophy of aesthetic experience and critical theory (Adorno, Benjamin, Fuchs, Han), we argue that journalism, understood as a form of public art rather than mere fact-transmission, can counteract this crisis by cultivating critical attention, narrative depth, and democratic engagement. We introduce the concept of aesthetic literacy as an extension of media literacy, equipping citizens to discern between seductive but superficial forms and genuinely transformative experiences. Empirical examples from Portugal (Expresso, Público, Mensagem de Lisboa) illustrate how multimodal journalism—through paced narratives, interactivity, and community dialogue—can reconstruct Deweyan “integrated experience” and resist algorithmic disinformation. We propose three axes of intervention: (1) public education oriented to aesthetic sensibility; (2) journalistic practices prioritizing ambiguity and depth; and (3) algorithmic transparency. Defending journalism as a public art of experience is thus crucial for democratic regeneration in the era of sensory capitalism, offering a framework to address the structural inequalities embedded in global information flows. Full article

This study explores Hong Kong residents’ perceptions of their city’s smart city transformation, set against a backdrop of political and economic changes. It investigates residents’ awareness and support for Hong Kong’s development as a smart city and their familiarity with the Smart City Blueprint. Despite the global emphasis on smart city initiatives, there is a significant gap in understanding residents’ perceptions, with the existing literature often focusing on technological and policy aspects while neglecting citizen voices. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates quantitative survey data (N = 808) with qualitative interviews (N = 25) and focus group discussions (4 groups, N = 43) to capture diverse perspectives. The findings reveal a generally low level of understanding of the Smart City Blueprint among residents, alongside a positive attitude towards its key dimensions like mobility, living, and the environment. Older citizens, those with lower educational attainment, and individuals from mainland China showed greater understanding and support. Interviews highlighted concerns about coordination, bureaucratic processes, data privacy, and public involvement. Focus group discussions revealed varied viewpoints, with some participants drawing comparisons to smart city developments in mainland China and expressing privacy concerns. The study underscores the importance of aligning smart city initiatives with residents’ needs and preferences through inclusive communication strategies and addressing concerns about data privacy and job displacement. Methodological triangulation enhances the validity and reliability of the research, revealing complex patterns and contradictions. Full article

This article investigates the (im)possibilities of Peace Education as a critical pedagogical practice in contexts marked by liberal ideologies. The question that guides the text is: has Peace Education ‘gone out of style’ in times marked by wars, democratic crises, deepening social inequalities, and the rise of authoritarian discourses? Based on a literature review, the study points out chronological advances and setbacks, highlighting the role of international organizations, such as the UN and UNESCO, in the affirmation, boom, and subsequent decline of the theme. The study also examines educational scenarios in Brazil and Portugal, highlighting their convergences and specificities. It emphasizes, however, that despite liberal pressures, Peace Education, even if not properly named, remains essential for the formation of autonomous and critical individuals, committed to questioning and confronting structural and cultural inequalities, and defending social justice, human rights, and historical memory. Full article

The sustainable management of water resources requires experts and also citizens who understand the hydrosphere and its key functions. To educate the public about water-related issues, various water literacy concepts have been developed. However, many of these concepts are too complex for people to understand. In contrast, the ocean literacy framework effectively translates knowledge into behavioral changes and actions. The Danube River, known as the world’s most international river, has a catchment area shared by 19 countries. This river basin has experienced unprecedented landscape alterations, floods, droughts, and pollution events, highlighting the need for a new approach to environmental education. Additionally, globally, more people live near rivers than by the ocean. To empower members of riverside communities with water literacy, we aimed to adapt the ocean literacy principles into river literacy principles. In this study, we introduce a novel concept of river literacy, consisting of seven principles. This framework aims to support sustainable development goals through education and to restore and revive damaged freshwater habitats more effectively. The principles were tested in formal education across five countries. The results indicate that participants in river literacy programs became more motivated to protect rivers, and their understanding of fluvial geography and riverine pollution improved. Full article

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe and far-reaching repercussions for health systems and societies, creating a global mental health crisis that has persisted after the pandemic. This study examined differences in mental health (i.e., psychological distress and well-being) by gender and pandemic period (i.e., lockdown, second and third pandemic waves, the last year of the pandemic, and the post-pandemic period) among Spanish individuals in two stages of adulthood: established adulthood and midlife. The second objective was to identify the risk and protective factors for psychological distress and well-being during the post-pandemic period. Materials and Methods: The study design was repeated cross-sectionally. The non-probability sample included 3677 people (66.2% women) from the general Spanish population, aged 30 to 59 years. Participants were assessed between 1 June 2020 and 23 May 2024 using the following self-reports: the General Health Questionnaire-12 item version, the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience, the Brief Inventory of Thriving, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Social Support Scale, the Stressful Events Questionnaire, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire. Results: Although rates of psychological distress varied across pandemic periods, women consistently experienced higher rates than men. During the post-pandemic period, the rates of psychological distress were 47.5% for women in established adulthood and 34.7% for midlife women, compared to 28.6% and 22% for men, respectively. Low self-esteem was the main predictor of greater psychological distress and lower well-being for both genders and age groups in the post-pandemic period. Another significant predictor was lower stress resilience. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic threatened women’s mental health and well-being more than men’s, and this threat persists after the pandemic, especially among women in established adulthood. The study’s findings are relevant for the design of policies, programs, and strategies to achieve better mental health and well-being among citizens and greater gender equality. Full article